Household sponge cleaning device



Nov. 13, 1956 M. KLEIN 2,769,995

HOUSEHOLD SPONGE CLEANING DEVICE Filed March 10, 1954 MICHAEL KLEINUnited States Patent 2,769,995 HOUSEHOLD SPONGE CLEANING DEVICE MichaelKlein, New York, N. Y. Application March 10, 1954, Serial No. 415,220 1Claim. (Cl. 15244) This invention relates to new and useful improvementsin household mops and cleaning devices.

More particularly, the present invention proposes the construction of animproved sponge mop. and cleaning device having a handle to which asponge mop can be mechanically and removably attached quickly and easilywithout cement or other adhesives.

Still further, the present invention proposes forming the handle with amop attachment member at one end which can be removably attached to astiffener or backing plate buried in a sponge mop block.

As a further object, the present invention proposes forming the spongemop block with a lengthwise slit or split terminating in a transversesplit or slit adjacent to and spaced from the top of the block to formfoldable flaps which can be opened to insert the stiffener or backingplate in the block and then folded over the plate and covered by the mopattachment member on the mop handle.

Another object of the invention proposes arranging the mop handle andstiffener or backing plate so that any commercially available spongeblock can be adapted by the user for use therewith.

A still further object of the invention proposes constructing thestiffener or backing plate and the mop attachment member of the handlewith mating sponge locking flanges and grooves securely to hold thesponge block to the handle without twisting or turning.

It is a further object of the present invention to arrange the mopattachment member of the handle so that a person can find the fastenedmembers by touch or feel as easily as by sight to facilitate changingsponge mop blocks in poor or no light.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sponge mop and cleaning deviceconstructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the mop.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the mop withthe sponge mop block removed.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the sponge mop block partly folded back.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of another stiffener or backing plateillustrating a modification of the present invention.

The mop or cleaning device, in accordance with the first form of theinvention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, has an absorbent andresilient block preferably of sponge or sponge material such ascellulosesponge.

Patented Nov. 13, 1 956 Block .-15 has an upper face 16, a lower face17, sides 18 and 19 and ends 20 and 21. The block is centrally splitlengthwise down the middle of the upper face 16 by a .split or slit 22extending from the upper face 16 to a point or depth 23 which is lessthan the depth of the block and preferably is not far from the upperface. In addition, the block 15 is split transversely at depth point 23by splits or slits 24 extending from the central lengthwise split 22toward the sides 18 and 19 of the block but terminating less than thewidth of the block and from each of the sides 18 and 19. In this manner,two openable and closeable folding flaps 25 and 26 are formed (see Fig.6).

A rigid stiffener or backing plate 27 of a length less than the lengthof block 15 and of a Width adapted to fit in transverse slits 24 isprovided with upturned side edge gripping flanges 28 and 29. Fixed tothe plate 27 and spaced thereon to extend therefrom are posts or screws30 containing upper threaded portions 31.

A mop handle 32 is secured at one end either fixed or removable, to amop attachment member 33. The member 33 is in the form of a plate withspaced grooves 34 and 35 in its bottom surface 36 to mate with theupturned gripping flanges 28 and 29 on the stiffener plate 27.

The plate is formed of plastic material but may be formed of any othersuitable material.

Mop attachment member 33 on the handle 32 also contains spaced post orscrew openings 37 disposed for alignment with and to pass the posts orscrews 30 on the stiffener plate 27 On the top surface 38 of the mopattachment member 33 raised annular portions 39 are formed around thepost openings 37. Wing nuts 40 are provided for the posts or screws 30of the stiffener plate 27. The wing nuts 40 fit inside the raisedannular portions 39 on member 33 when the posts 30 are extending throughpost openings 37 and the nuts are screwed down;

Stiifener plate 27 is inserted and buried in sponge block 15 by openingor folding back the flaps 25 and 26. These flaps are then closed orfolded down over the plate 27 and the posts 30 extend through thelengthwise split 22 between the flaps. Mop attachment member 33 on thehandle is then placed over the flaps and posts 30 extend through thepost openings 37 to align the member 33 on the block so that blockgripping flanges 28 and 29 of plate 27 are aligned with mating grooves34 and 35 of the member 33. Tightening the wing nuts 40 on the posts 30then force the member 33 and the plate 27 toward one another and theblock flaps are firmly gripped therebetween. The flanges and grooves 28,29 and 34 and 35 prevent any shifting of the sponge mop block 15 on thehandle.

The modification of the present invention illustrated in Fig. 7 ischaracterized by the provision of a stiffener or backing plate 41 whichis arched transversely so that an ordinary round headed screw 42 can bepassed through an opening 43 therein and the head of the screw bedisposed in the arched portion of the plate.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

A mop and cleaning device comprising an absorbent and resilientelongated block having an upper face, said block being centrally splitlengthwise from the upper face to a point less than the depth of theblock and transversely split at such point of depth less than the widthof the block to form two centrally disposed foldable flaps, a rigidstiffener plate removably disposed in the transverse split beneath theflaps, a handle with a mop attachment member at one end thereof, saidmember having spaced post openings therethrough, spaced posts fixed tothe stiffener plate and extendable through the lengthwise split in theblock between the flaps and through the post openings in the mopattachment member of the handle when the flaps are folded over thestiffener plate and said member is over the flaps, and removablefastener elements removably to secure the posts to the mop attachmentmember, said posts being threaded and said fastenerlelements being wingnuts, spaced raised gripping fianges on said stiffener plate fordisposal beneath the flaps and mating like spaced grooves on the mopattachment member, said mop attachment member having raised annularportions around said post openings to locate said wing nuts by touch asWell as by sight.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,715,907 Dragelin June 4, 1929 1,840,189 Dwork Jan. 5, 1932' 2,648,863Darling Aug. 18, 1953 2,660,747 Vaughn Dec. 1, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS193,299' Switzerland Dec. 16, 1937 Canada July 11,

